Process of treating glucose.



' HENRY ALBERT HUGHES, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS or TREATING GLUCOSE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented March. 30, 1909.

Application filed. MM'Oh'ZO, 1905. Serial No. 251,144.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, HEN Y- ALBERT HUGHES, a citizen of'the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented I certain Improvements in the Proces of Treating Glucose, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the treatment ofglucose and. other saccharine solutions for the purpose of counteracting or eliminating the objectionable and disagreeable taste of the same, caused by the presence'of sulfites or acid residues remaining in said liquids after their manufacture, and which maybe incident to their manufacture or added for any special purpose. The chemicals noted and their resultant flavors are usually pres.

ent in commercial glucose and other saccharine solutions,being the residue of ingredients em loyed 1n the process of manufacturing sai liquids, as well as material added to prevent spoiling of the liquids, and they greatly modify the flavor and commercial value of the same. e My invention consists in changing or converting the indigestible' sulfites, or sulfurous rine solutions, particularly commercial glucose, (made by subjecting starch to the action of an acid, and which contains sulfites orsulfurous acid in solution,) with an aldehyde of one of the primary alcohols. Among the preferred aldehydes, may be mentioned methyl-aldehyde, or an aldehyde in its polymerized state may be employed.

1 have discovered that the objectionable in any one of the three "following; ormsz.

1st: by adding the pure gas to said saccharine solution containing sulfites. 2nd: by

addinga 40% solution of formaldehyde gas in water. The formalin of commerce.) 3rd: by addition of formaldehyde in a polymerized state, generally. called paraformaldehyde a By treating saccharine solutions, such as glucose, grape sugar, cane sugar, cane syrup, molasses or. invert sugar, containing sulfites or sulfurous acid residues in solution, with an aldehyde, methyl-aldehyde, or paraformaldehyde, a chemical compound of said sulfites. and residues and the aldehyde is roduced, which frees said saccharine solutions from the acrid, disagreeable taste occasioned by the presence of said sulfites or acid residues in solution. The compound formed by the combination of the aldehyde and the sulfites or sulfurous acid, has marked chemical and physical properties, differing from -those of the chemicals from which they are for1ned; to wit, as follows:

1 1: The taste and smell of these several ingredients or elements, inherent or added, undergoes a complete change. The acrid taste and ungent smell of the chemicals is removed: leaving a slightly sour taste (not of a disagreeable nature), with little or no smell; the taste of the new compound being nearly that of water.

2. The preservative qualities of the aldehyde, sulfurous acid &-c., are very strong,'but those of this new compound are weakened, showin that the usual properties ofthe aldehyde have undergone a complete change.

3. The bleaching power of the sulfites or sulfurous acid is com letely destroyed.

4. The tissue-hardening power of the aldehyde is also destroyed. a

The new compound, substantially asalt of sulfurous acid and aldehyde, is'decomposed at 100 (1., and readilyvolatilizes; a condition which may also be effected at nor mal temperature by a treatment with a mineral acidof higher afiinity.

In other words I have discovered'that by adding a proper quantity of an aldehyde to glucose and saccharine solutions containing sulfites and sulfurous acid residues, such quantity to be determined by the quantity of sulfites or' acid residues presentin-the saccharine solutions; that an innocuous compound has been" formed which does'notfpos sees the disagreeable odor and flavoror taste of said sulfites and acid residues, or of the aldehyde, or the characteristic tissue-hardening properties of saidaldehyde.

In practicing the improved method or process forming the subject of my invention, thefglncose or other saccharine solution may be thinned by the addition of water until its body is of substantially the same density as:

bodied syrups and other saccharine solu-- tions.- The quantity of methyl-aldehyde usedis based upon the pure gas of 100 per cent. strength, or I- may use the formalin of commerce comprising a 40 per cent. so: lution of methyl-aldehyde in water, the quantity to be added being increased in proper ratio, or 1 may use paraformalde- .hyde. In" combining the aldehyde above noted with the glucose or other saccharine solution, I first determine the amount of sulfites or acid residues to be counteracted, and then add the aldehyde accordingly, taking care not .to use anyexcess of aldehyde above thecomloining equivalent. Theoretically 30 parts .of (ll-I 0 combine with 64 parts of SO, according to their atomic weights, or 31.91 parts of CH O to 68.09 parts of SO in every one hundred parts of the compound of the two. That this simple combination takes place has been proven by tests in which 50 grins, of 4.77% strength sulfur-di-oxid gas in solution in water, and 2.8056 grins, 40% strength-methyl-aldehyde gas in solution in water were combined, eliminating the characteristic taste and smell of each and forming a compound having dilferent chemical characteris'tics from the original substances from which it was formed. 50 grms, of sulfurdi-oxid gas of 4.77% strength equals 2.8850 grms, pure sulfur-di-oxid gas, or 68 parts, which combines with 1.12224 grins. pure methyl-aldehyde gas equaling 40% of 2.8056 grms, of pure methyl aldehyde, (bemg 40% solution) or 32 parts, making a total of 100 parts. Again, in the case of solutions of bi-sulfite of lime treatment with 40% methyl-aldehyde gas solution, eliminated the taste and smell of both of these chemical substances, and formed a compound having different chemical properties; 50 grms,

of bi-s'ulfite of lime solution required 1.8280

grms, pure methyl-aldehyde gas to eliminate taste and smellof both, or 4.57 grms, 40% solution. In this case the methyl-aldehyde seems to combine with the bi-sulfite of lime according to the amount of SO present. As methylaldehyde eliminates the taste and smell of both sulfurous acid or sulfites in solution, as well as its own taste and smell, the best method for determining the amount necessary to eliminate the taste'and smell of sulfurous acid or $111 fites in solution in syrups, molasses, etc., is to add the aldehyde to said solution until said taste eliminated. Any excess of alde-v hyde causes a bitter or burnt taste, or the characteristic pungent taste of the aldehyde, and as shown in practice, any less than an amount sulficient to elfect the proper com-. bination, leaves the characteristic sulfur taste in the solution. Also, any sulfites or sulfurous acid present will act as ableach if a small amount of syrup containing it be poured into a solution containing vegetable coloring matters, but if completely combined with methyl-aldehyde, the effect will be to darken the color rather than to bleach.

To determine the quantity of the aldehyde necessary to combine with the acid residue in syrups, molasses, etc., and to determine anrount of acid residuepresent, the following simple process may be'carried out: Draw a sample of syrup, molasses, or. other saccharine solution containing the disagreeable taste and flavors of sulfites or sulfurous acid, weigh off a certain amount say 1 1b.;

and then add the aldehyde in the desired can be found by simple multiplication by the factor of relative proportion.

The treatment of the glucose or other saccharine liquids or solutions, according to the method herein described, should be carried on at a temperature of about 130- F. I f a higher degree .of heat be used, a quicker and more violent action takes'place, permit- -ting less weight of chemicals to be used, but this gain in the saving of material requires constant attention, and if the. heat be slightly raised or exerted for a very short time longer than is necessary to produce the desired change of flavor, the discoloring of the glucose will be rapid and the slight gain in cost by the saving of chemicals will be offset and lost by errors in manufacture.-

In the claims, I speak of saccharine solutions, and thisterm is meant to include glucose, grape sugar, invert sugar, cane sugar, cane syrup and molasses, and mixtures of any two or more of these saccharine compounds.

I claim 1. The process of treating saccharine solutions for the purposeof counteracting or l and acid residues in such solutions, and then adding thereto an aldehyde of one of the primaryvalcohols sufficient in quantity to combine with sa'd sulfites and a'cidresidues and form a different and innocuous compound.

'2, Theprocess of treating saccharine solutions for the-purpose of counteracting or eliminating the effect of sulfites and sul furous acid residues present therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sulfites and acid residues present in such solutions, and then adding thereto methyl-aldehyde 'suificient in quantity to combine with said sulfites and acid residues-and form a different and innocuous compound.

3. The process of treating saccharine solutionsfor the purpose of counteracting or eliminating the efiect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues present therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sulfites and acid residues in'such solutions, heatingthe same, and then adding thereto an aldehyde of one ofthe primary alcohols sufiicient in quantity to combine with said sulfites and acid residues and form a differcut, and innocuous compound. 7

4. The process of treating saccharine solutions for the purpose of counteracting or eliminating the efi'ect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues resent therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sul-.

fites and acid residues present in such solutions, heating the same, and then adding thereto methyl-aldehyde sufiicient in quan- "tity to combine with said sulfites and acid. 0

residues and form a different and innocuous compound.

' 5. The process of treating commercial glucose for the purpose of counteracting or eliminating the efiect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues present therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sulfites and ac1d residues in such. lucose, and then adding thereto an aldeliy e of one of the primary alcohols suflicient in quantity to combine with said sulfites and acid residues and form a different and innocuous .compound.

. 6. The process of treat ng commercial glucose for thepurpose of counteracting or eliminating the efiect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues there1n,' wh1ch consists in determining the quantityof sulfites and acid residues in such lucose, and then adding thereto methyl-a1 ehyde sufficient in quan tity to combine said sulfites and acid residuesand form a" difi'erent. and. innocuous compound.

7 The process of treating commercial glucose for the 'purpose of counteracting or eliminating the'efi'ect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues present therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sulfites and acidresidues in such glucose, then heatin the same, and then adding thereto an aldehyde of one of the primary alcohols sufficient in quantity to combine with said sulfites and acid residuesand form'a different and innocuous compound.

8. ,The process of treating commercial glucose for the purpose of counteracting or eliminating the effect of sulfites and sulfurous acid residues therein, which consists in determining the quantity of sulfites and acid residues 'in such glucose, then heating the same, and then adding thereto methyl-aldehyde sufficient in quantity to combine said sulfites and acid residues and form a different' and-innocuous com ound.

In testimony whereo I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. HENRY ALBERT HUGHES. Witnesses: MURRAY 0. BoYnR', J osiH. KLEIN,- 

